ASIC Physical Design Engineer, Proto (Staff, Senior, Principal) - Block

Block is one company built from many blocks, all united by the same purpose of economic empowerment. The blocks that form our foundational teams — People, Finance, Counsel, Hardware, Information Security, Platform Infrastructure Engineering, and more — provide support and guidance at the corporate level. They work across business groups and around the globe, spanning time zones and disciplines to develop inclusive People policies, forecast finances, give legal counsel, safeguard systems, nurture new initiatives, and more. Every challenge creates possibilities, and we need different perspectives to see them all. Bring yours to Block.

Team Overview

We believe everyone should be able to participate and thrive in the economy. We believe bitcoin plays an essential role in the future of payments and the world’s economy. We believe that the status quo of bitcoin mining does not serve the mission of the bitcoin ecosystem. So we’re building a bitcoin mining rig powered by Block designed custom ASICs. With our mining rig, we can address many issues such as the concentration of hardware supply in certain countries and incompatibility with clean energy sources.

As a senior ASIC Physical Design Engineer, you will work closely with other digital designers and mixed signal designers to develop the next generation of mining ASIC. In particular, the challenges of block level physical implementation, timing, integration, and physical verification are critical parts of this role. 

We are a distributed team across the U.S. and Canada, and are hiring for a single remote position. 

Our organization operates as a flat meritocracy, this role’s title is ASIC Physical Design Engineer, but other companies might call this a Technical Lead, Lead Design Engineer, Senior/Staff or Member of Technical Staff role.

You Will:

• Perform block level P&R, and integration from early RTL to final tapeout

• Work closely with logic designers on block level timing closure

• Work closely with custom cell development

• Improve capacity and scalability of our full chip design flows

• Develop scripts to enhance current physical design infrastructure/methodology

• Collaborate with teammates from different functions and time zones

You Have:

• 10+ years of relevant experience with BSEE or Applied Science degree; 8+ years in combination with a MS degree

• Expert in using Synopsys ICC2/Fusion Compiler and PrimeTime

• Understanding of the full design cycle from RTL to GDSII, including chip level

• Prior experience with custom physical design and relative placement 

• Successfully tapped out multiple chips in 5nm and below

• Experience with all aspects of block delivery including clock, power analysis, physical verification, etc.

• Understanding of timing constraints and timing reports

• Strong Python/Perl/shell/tcl skills

• Experience with Linux and or Unix and text editors

• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced and rapidly changing start-up environment

• Excellent communication skills

Even better if you have experience with:

• CPU/GPU datapath or AI processor physical design

Block takes a market-based approach to pay, and pay may vary depending on your location. U.S. locations are categorized into one of four zones based on a cost of labor index for that geographic area. The successful candidate’s starting pay will be determined based on job-related skills, experience, qualifications, work location, and market conditions. These ranges may be modified in the future.

Zone A: USD $198,000 - USD $297,000
Zone B: USD $184,200 - USD $276,200
Zone C: USD $174,200 - USD $261,400
Zone D: USD $164,300 - USD $246,500

To find a location’s zone designation, please refer to this resource. If a location of interest is not listed, please speak with a recruiter for additional information. 

Full-time employee benefits include the following:

• Healthcare coverage (Medical, Vision and Dental insurance)
• Health Savings Account and Flexible Spending Account
• Retirement Plans including company match 
• Employee Stock Purchase Program
• Wellness programs, including access to mental health, 1:1 financial planners, and a monthly wellness allowance 
• Paid parental and caregiving leave
• Paid time off (including 12 paid holidays)
• Paid sick leave (1 hour per 26 hours worked (max 80 hours per calendar year to the extent legally permissible) for non-exempt employees and covered by our Flexible Time Off policy for exempt employees) 
• Learning and Development resources
• Paid Life insurance, AD&D, and disability benefits 

These benefits are further detailed in Block's policies. This role is also eligible to participate in Block's equity plan subject to the terms of the applicable plans and policies, and may be eligible for a sign-on bonus. Sales roles may be eligible to participate in a commission plan subject to the terms of the applicable plans and policies. Pay and benefits are subject to change at any time, consistent with the terms of any applicable compensation or benefit plans.

We’re working to build a more inclusive economy where our customers have equal access to opportunity, and we strive to live by these same values in building our workplace. Block is a proud equal opportunity employer. We work hard to evaluate all employees and job applicants consistently, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, pregnancy, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation, citizenship, or any other legally protected class. 

We believe in being fair, and are committed to an inclusive interview experience, including providing reasonable accommodations to disabled applicants throughout the recruitment process. We encourage applicants to share any needed accommodations with their recruiter, who will treat these requests as confidentially as possible. Want to learn more about what we’re doing to build a workplace that is fair and square? Check out our I+D page.

Block will consider qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records for employment in accordance with state and local laws and “fair chance” ordinances. Because the material duties of this role involve direct or indirect access to sensitive personal or financial data, a criminal background check is required following a contingent offer of employment.

Block, Inc. (NYSE: SQ) is a global technology company with a focus on financial services. Made up of Square, Cash App, Spiral, TIDAL, and TBD, we build tools to help more people access the economy. Square helps sellers run and grow their businesses with its integrated ecosystem of commerce solutions, business software, and banking services. With Cash App, anyone can easily send, spend, or invest their money in stocks or Bitcoin. Spiral (formerly Square Crypto) builds and funds free, open-source Bitcoin projects. Artists use TIDAL to help them succeed as entrepreneurs and connect more deeply with fans. TBD is building an open developer platform to make it easier to access Bitcoin and other blockchain technologies without having to go through an institution.

While there is no specific deadline to apply for this role, on average, U.S. open roles are posted for 70 days before being filled by a successful candidate.